


Emotions Fade, But We Stayed

by SnailFriend



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Divorce, M/M, public arguments, world meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 04:36:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18514033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnailFriend/pseuds/SnailFriend
Summary: World meetings are always full of arguments, but this one really takes the cake.





	Emotions Fade, But We Stayed

**Author's Note:**

> I started off trying to make a funny fic, but it got more serious the longer I wrote. There are still little bits of comedy in there, but it's not much like my other fics. Also, Nathaniel is a bit of a running joke in a discord server I'm in.

World meetings had always been useless and packet to the brim with shouting, and this meeting was no exception. Everyone was arguing and goofing off as usual. But one thing was different: Kiku and Alfred were eerily quiet. Well, Kiku was always quiet, but this time it was angry silence. He glared at Alfred from across the table as he tapped his foot impatiently. Alfred seemed more sad than angry. He looked down at his feet and let out a heavy sigh. Suddenly, Kiku jumped up.  
“How long are you going to just sit there and mope? We have real issues to address, and you’re doing nothing!” he yelled. Everyone went silent, unsure of what to do. Kiku never got this upset, at least not in meetings. Alfred started to get agitated.   
“It’s not like you’re doing anything, either. You just glare and act like I’m the lazy one when you’re watching anime all day,” Alfred retorted.   
“Excuse me, I’M the one who has to look after Nathaniel all day. I cook for you, I clean the house, I put up with all your shit, and you give nothing in return. You’re always off drinking with your buddies. I swear you care about them more than your family.”  
“I care about you guys, I just need a day off every so often-”  
“Every so often?! It’s every goddamn night! I barely see you anymore. What happened to date nights? What happened to family dinners?”  
“At least I actually have friends, unlike you. Is having a healthy social life a crime?” Alfred slammed his fist on the table and stood up. Kiku wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. He used his hostility as a shield to hide his true feelings.  
“I can’t have a social life because I’m stuck taking care of our son all day. Besides, shouldn’t you be more concerned about having a healthy marriage? You haven’t given me more than a kiss on the cheek in weeks, and yet you’re always clinging to those drinking buddies. I try my best to trust you, but there’s clearly something off there.”  
“Did you just accuse me of cheating?” The other nations started to feel awkward, some pretended to ignore the spat while others left the room entirely.  
“Well, you clearly aren’t attracted to me anymore, so why would you stay faithful? Why do you even stay with me at all? If you want a divorce then stop dragging things out and just say it already!” Kiku was red it the face and was on the verge of tears.  
Alfred went dead silent. He looked at the floor. All the remaining shuffled out awkwardly.  
“I have thought about it,” Alfred admitted. More silence followed. The couple’s anger cooled, leaving an empty ache in its place. “I actually picked up a divorce petition the other day, but I didn’t know how to bring it up-”  
“Where did you put it?”  
“Right here.” Alfred put his briefcase on the table. It was always full of random papers and documents, so divorce papers would blend right in at first glance.  
“Well then, let’s get it over with.” Kiku took a pen out of his breast pocket and held out his free hand. “Hand it over.”  
“But-”  
“Hand it over,” Kiku repeated firmly. Kiku grabbed the paperwork and sat back down. He spent the rest of the meeting filling out papers and having occasional spats with Alfred. However, their arguments were half-hearted and petty at best. That passionate rage had fully vanished. Alfred felt as though he was living in another realm, somewhere between a dream and a nightmare. How had his life come to this? Was there any way to salvage his crumbling marriage?  
No.   
The situation had been hopeless for months. That fluttery, happy feeling Alfred once felt was long dead. When he looked into Kiku’s eyes, he no longer felt a surge of joy. Kissing had become a formality, and sex was completely off the table. They should have filed for divorce long ago, really. But Alfred was set on living the American dream, and love still had its grip on Kiku.   
Kiku gathered up the finished paperwork and stood. “I’ll get everything sorted for you. I know how much you hate paperwork.” He clutched the papers to his chest and headed for the door. Alfred felt obligated to say something, but he couldn’t put his emotions into words. Besides, no amount of talking would help the situation. Kiku paused in the doorway and looked at him. They made eye-contact for a moment. Alfred couldn’t help but notice the disappointed sadness in Kiku’s expression.  
“So, uh, I guess I’ll be sleeping on the couch,” Alfred said in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood.  
“I think you should find a hotel, America.” With that, Kiku left. Alfred couldn’t remember the last time Kiku called him ‘America.’ It felt so formal and foreign, as if they were strangers. Decades of friendship and trust were denied with one simple word. For the first time in a long while, Alfred cried.


End file.
